ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Henderson State opens its three-game series with No. 22 Southern Arkansas with a 4-2 loss in game one, followed by a 3-1 defeat in the second contest.

HSU (10-12) recorded 13 hits across the two contests, including eight in the first game. Emylee Bittinger led the team at the plate in game one with two hits on four plate appearances with an RBI, while Hilary Akers went 3-of-3 in the second contest with a home run. 

GAME ONE: SAU 4, HSU 2 (8 inn.)
A late two-run homer for Southern Arkansas in the top of the eighth would lift the Muleriders past Henderson State 4-2. Starting pitcher Meagan Allen pitched all 8.0 frames and allowed four runs on six hits and two walks.
 
SAU struck first in the top of the second after recording back-to-back doubles to go ahead 1-0. From there, both sets of pitchers kept the opposing bats at bay with a combined zero hits allowed in the third and fourth innings.
 
The Muleriders' starting pitcher, Sydney Ward, had given up zero hits, walks, or runs up until the bottom of the fifth when pinch hitter Jorika Alvarez knocked a double to left center field to end Ward's chances of a perfect game. Alvarez's hit also led to the tying run after Emylee Bittinger singled through the left side to plate pinch hitter. SAU retook the lead in the following inning, but three straight this by HSU kept the game knotted at 2-2.
 
Henderson threatened to walk the game off in the bottom of the seventh with runners on third twice but could not advance them further. Heading into the eighth, SAU would find separation in the first extra inning with the go-ahead two-run home run to lead 4-2.
 
GAME TWO: SAU 3, HSU 1
Southern Arkansas plated three runs across the first two innings, scoring one run in the top of the first before extending its advantage to 3-0 in the second with an additional two runs. The Reddies' offense struggled to get going through three innings, recording just one hit. HSU got the bats going in the bottom of the fourth and threatened with runners on first and second, but SAU would work out the jam to strand the pair. 
 
The Reddies would pull a run back in the bottom of the seventh, with a solo home run from Akers for her third hit of the game to cut the deficit to 3-1. Following the leadoff home run, SAU struck out the final three batters of the game to hold on and win. Henderson and  No. 22 Southern Arkansas conclude the three-game series tomorrow at 2 p.m. from Dee White Field.